Open Hands Outreach Program has officially opened the doors of its veterans center after about a year in the making.
The center is home to a variety of veterans services and programs. From 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday, veterans can socialize during the Coffee Club. Every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., there is a female veterans PTSD group meeting. The male version takes place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday. Bible studies and recovery groups are held every Thursday. On the first and third Fridays every month, there will be live music and refreshments.
Open Hands formed in 2012 as an attempt to help veterans, who have come back from war with challenges, in beginning their normal lives. The charity has collected food and clothing and has assisted veterans who need other forms of help for themselves or their families.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony that served as the official opening of the center, most local veterans organizations were represented to pay their respects and show gratitude for the new location and the people that it aims to help. These organizations included Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Wounded Warriors, Marine Corps League, National American Indian Veterans, National Order of Trench Rats and Blinded Veterans Association.
Open Hands began as a vision of Diann Lesueur and Tom Hunt, and has grown from a small operation run out of the thrift shop at the site to what it is today.
“We were a grassroots organization that started in Coolidge and was able to grow out into the county because of the love this city has for its veterans,” Lesueur said.
Since then, they have been welcoming veterans who have undergone any kind of problem since their time in service.
“We’re here for our veterans,” Lesueur said. “I don’t care who you are, we’re here for you. We want to reach out to all our veterans. We can do better, and we are doing better.”